Steering Wheel Vibration

'97 Saturn SL1, 110k miles

So this has recently started, and it is scaring me while driving. Not all
the time, but sometimes the wheel will start to vibrate violently for a
period of time. It is not strong enough to alter the direction that I am
driving, but enough to be very noticeable. It will go away after about
five minutes of driving, then it will return after about five minutes. I
just had new tires put on and I had the alignment done. I have started to
drive my other car in the mean time, but if you have any idea as to what
could be happening, I would love to hear it.

Thanks.

Most likely it is a wheel balance problem. Take it back to the shop that
mounted the tires and tell them the symptoms. If it was recent enough, they
should rebalance it for no charge to see if it takes care of the problem.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
---
Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http://www.evilplastic.com


"stellarroadie" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> '97 Saturn SL1, 110k miles
>
> So this has recently started, and it is scaring me while driving. Not all
> the time, but sometimes the wheel will start to vibrate violently for a
> period of time. It is not strong enough to alter the direction that I am
> driving, but enough to be very noticeable. It will go away after about
> five minutes of driving, then it will return after about five minutes. I
> just had new tires put on and I had the alignment done. I have started to
> drive my other car in the mean time, but if you have any idea as to what
> could be happening, I would love to hear it.
>
> Thanks.
>

I think you may have lost a balancing weight.
Take it back to the place where you had the tires put on, tell them
you've got a bad shimmy. They should probably fix it for free.
-WaV

stellarroadie wrote:
> '97 Saturn SL1, 110k miles
>
> So this has recently started, and it is scaring me while driving. Not all
> the time, but sometimes the wheel will start to vibrate violently for a
> period of time. It is not strong enough to alter the direction that I am
> driving, but enough to be very noticeable. It will go away after about
> five minutes of driving, then it will return after about five minutes. I
> just had new tires put on and I had the alignment done. I have started to
> drive my other car in the mean time, but if you have any idea as to what
> could be happening, I would love to hear it.
>
> Thanks.

On 6 Jul 2006 21:24:05 -0700, "wavy" > wrote:

>I think you may have lost a balancing weight.
>Take it back to the place where you had the tires put on, tell them
>you've got a bad shimmy. They should probably fix it for free.


It could indeed be a balancing issue but I would not rule out
alignment or possible bad CV joints if everything else checks out.
-----------------
The SnoMan
www.thesnoman.com

I already had the weights checked out. All was good. I don't think that
it really has anything to do with the new tires.

On Fri, 07 Jul 2006 08:39:20 -0400, "stellarroadie"
> wrote:

>I already had the weights checked out. All was good. I don't think that
>it really has anything to do with the new tires.

Idirectly it does because you have change the rotating mass on front
axle. It could be a alignment issue and/or a problem with worn/loose
front end parts.
-----------------
The SnoMan
www.thesnoman.com

Was it doing it before the new tires? There's your answer.

--
Steve


"stellarroadie" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
>I already had the weights checked out. All was good. I don't think that
> it really has anything to do with the new tires.
>

On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 23:15:44 -0400, "stellarroadie"
> wrote:

>'97 Saturn SL1, 110k miles
>
>So this has recently started, and it is scaring me while driving. Not all
>the time, but sometimes the wheel will start to vibrate violently for a
>period of time. It is not strong enough to alter the direction that I am
>driving, but enough to be very noticeable. It will go away after about
>five minutes of driving, then it will return after about five minutes. I
>just had new tires put on and I had the alignment done. I have started to
>drive my other car in the mean time, but if you have any idea as to what
>could be happening, I would love to hear it.
>
>Thanks.


You could have lost a weight, that balanced your tire. Are you
changing speed, or at a certain speed when the vibration is happening?

just a guess,

tom @ www.CarFleaMarket.com

"stellarroadie" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> '97 Saturn SL1, 110k miles
>
> So this has recently started, and it is scaring me while driving. Not all
> the time, but sometimes the wheel will start to vibrate violently for a
> period of time. It is not strong enough to alter the direction that I am
> driving, but enough to be very noticeable. It will go away after about
> five minutes of driving, then it will return after about five minutes. I
> just had new tires put on and I had the alignment done. I have started to
> drive my other car in the mean time, but if you have any idea as to what
> could be happening, I would love to hear it.
>
> Thanks.
>
When does it do it? Is it when you apply the brakes? Or is it while
driving? If it's while braking I'd suspect warped brake rotors. Saturn did
have a problem there but I think they did remedy it before 1997 though.
--
Chris Ehlbeck, PP-ASEL
"It's a license to learn, have fun and buy really expensive hamburgers."

I had the new tires on. It worked fine for about a month. Then about one
month into the new tires it started. Slightly at first, but as time went
on it got stronger.

It happens when I drive and when I brake. The speed of the vibration does
not change with the change in gear, but it does change with the change in
speed.

I took it to the place that did my tires. We checked the weights and the
alignment. All they do it tires, so they did not check anything else.
They said that my tie rods looked fine. I have not taken it in anywhere
else yet, but I think that I am going to soon.